Good evening Golden Eagles and families!
During this break I hope you are able to take time with your family to reflect on all of your accomplishments this year. During the past 9 months, you have learned new skills, demonstrated perseverance, and connected with new friends in new ways. Everyone at PCMS is so proud of you for all that you have done during this time away. Golden Eagles are truly impressive! We look forward to a time when we can all be together again but in the meantime it is very important to give yourself a huge pat on the back for a job very well-done.
If you are going into break thinking that there are some things you’d like to change for the future, please know that we are all here to help you. If you feel like you have many missing assignments, please contact your teacher. It is never too late to get on the right track and our teachers are flexible and thoughtful and they truly want to help you to succeed. They are ready to help you make a plan and each day they do what they do FOR YOU! Please don’t hesitate to send them an e-mail and they will help you make the next few weeks better than those before.
I want you to know that I am so thankful each day to work with all of the fantastic staff at PCMS. We have created a place that is special and it is special because of the students that fill our classes each day and the families that support all of us along the way. To all of our students, I want you to know that you bring us all so much joy and excitement and you are inspiring. To all of our families, thank you for your continued support, connection, and ideas to continue to make this special place so great even while we are a part.
Below are important messages to be aware of as we move into this holiday break.
Middle School Hybrid Schedule: We look forward to the day when we can advance from Comprehensive Distance Learning (CDL) to a Hybrid model of instruction that brings all students onto campus. Currently, we are not at that point, but we are making plans for when the day comes. This is the schedule for when this does happen. Again, please know that we do NOT have a date for when Hybrid instruction will start. We share this information with you so that you’ll have a basic understanding of what we are planning. More details will follow as we identify a date when we can have our fantastic students on campus with us again.
Grading Guidance for Middle School (2020-2021): We know that COVID-19 has created many barriers for families. For this reason, we will be using the attached grading practices for all middle school students moving forward this year. Please let us know if you have questions.
BLP School Nurse Newsletter: You should have received this as a stand-alone message today but if you haven’t seen it yet, this is a message from our school nurses regarding ways to stay safe during this break.
Oregon Battle of the Books (OBOB): This is a fun, trivia style, team competition that encourages kids to read. Each year 16 titles are chosen for the 6th-8th grade division. OBOB will look different this year, as there will be no Regional or State competition, however we will still have a school-wide competition. This year it may be harder to find teammates so please encourage your child to let Mrs. Hanna or their Community Teachers know if they want help connecting with other kids looking for a team. Even better, join your student and make it a family affair. That’s right, this year parents and guardians can join the fun! Five years ago we started a staff team, which has been really fun for both staff and students. Take a look at the 2021 Titles. Here is some general information to get you started:
-
- Teams consist of 4 people. Each team will come up with a team name. We will begin battles around the end of January/beginning of February. Battles will be on Webex during student lunch breaks. Battles usually take 15-20 minutes and consist of 16 questions. Teams can be made up of all students or a combination of students, parents, and siblings.
- Please contact [email protected] with any questions and/or to get your team signed up. Remember, “Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are.” -Mason Cooley
Turkey Bingo Fundraiser Update: While having a fun time at our Family Turkey Bingo Night, we raised $400 benefiting the American Red Cross Western Wildfire Relief Fund. Now that is certainly something to gobble about! Thank you to all of the 50 families who participated and congratulations to all bingo round winners, best turkey costume, and grand prize winner.
PCMS College Day Pride Collage: Take a look at our PCMS staff showing off our college pride!
Last Year’s Golden Feathers Paper Slips: Due to our abrupt closing last March 13th, students did not have the opportunity to redeem their golden feather slips. Many students have asked if we will be redeeming them. The answer is yes, we will redeem these golden feathers this school year and will send out a communication early 2021 as to how we are going to proceed.
Teacher Feedback Notification turned on in Canvas: During break is a great time to check Canvas and make sure that your Teacher Feedback notification is turned on. This is the main way that teachers communicate to students about assignments and we have noticed that several students don’t have this functioning. Thanks for checking!
Webex Security and Updates: Just a reminder that our WebEx will be upgraded to be more secure on Monday, November 30th. At that time, students who are logged in will be able to go directly to their teacher’s WebEx room, whereas those who are not logged in will be in the waiting room until they are let in by their teacher. All students should have logged into Webex this week but if you haven’t, please do this so you are ready for Monday. It is also a great time to back up any documents and to make sure to do any iPad updates so apps function correctly.
Thanksgiving Breakout: Thanks to Jane Shein for this idea. Use a Virtual Breakout Box with your holiday crew for a fun spin on a time together!
New Learning Opportunities: If you are feeling like you’d like to learn something new un-related to distance learning, this source was shared with me from a parent. A lot of free learning options.
Have a wonderful break!! ✌️ & ❤️ &